


A constant

by Metaderivative



Category: Daredevil (Comics), Punisher (Comics)
Genre: Canon - Comics, Idiots in Love, M/M, Translated from Español | Spanish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:00:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metaderivative/pseuds/Metaderivative
Summary: Frank and Matt have a brief reunion that doesn’t solve anything but, perhaps, does comfort them a bit.[English translation of “Una constante” by Valvalblueee.]
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Fratt Week





	A constant

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Una constante](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22431211) by [valvalblueee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/valvalblueee/pseuds/valvalblueee). 



> [Author’s notes by valvalblueee]  
> This fanfic was created for Fratt Week (aimed at the English-speaking community ;-;) and was inspired by the comic “The Omega Effect.” 
> 
> I’ve wanted to write this for a while, so I’m taking advantage of the event in order to publish it. I also plan to make something of a series related to this comic. ~ Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

“Was it a vulture?” Matt murmurs. 

Frank pours the 12-year-aged Suntory Yamazaki into the glass the lawyer holds out to him. 

“What?”

“The wound to your left eye… was your fight with the Vulture?” Matt comes closer, his hand reaching the ex-marine’s severe face and caressing with such delicateness that it makes Frank sigh despite himself. “You were in the news for at least a week. I thought you’d finally died.” 

“And that was a relief?” The question is sarcastic, but fear of the answer makes his heart flutter a little more. Matt must have noticed because his expression turns condescending. 

“No,” the lawyer responds. His hand drifts away from Frank, slow and smooth. “It’s been three long and maddening months. I’ve never been so happy to hear about twenty criminals found dead.” 

Matt smiles. It’s a sad smile hidden behind the glass and the whiskey. It’s been a long time since Frank has seen that expression and the sensation it produces remains the same: nostalgia. Nostalgia for a future they won’t have. A while ago they promised each other not to meet in private, not as Frank Castle and Matt Murdock. But here they were, sharing whiskey in the lawyer’s apartment, without masks, without outfits covered in weapons. 

“You sure?” Frank asks, ignoring the expression to the contrary. His face turns toward some vague place out the window. “I heard you’ve been having fun with Black Cat.” His tone becomes accusatory. He doesn’t know exactly why he’s bringing it up; Matt’s life and escapades as a hero aren’t his responsibility. 

The lawyer laughs as he tips another shot of whiskey into his glass. It’s the third he’s served himself, Frank can’t help but count.

“Perhaps you’re jealous, Frank?” Matt teases. The ex-marine just wants to shut him up. “You can’t be one to accuse me when all of a sudden you appear with the woman whose explosion blew the roof off my office.”

“I need her for this mission,” Frank defends. “That bother you, Red?” With a sarcastic smile etched in his bruised lips, he turns to face the lawyer once more. His drink has gone lukewarm, untouched and ice slowly melting. 

“It might,” Matt answers, curt and imprecise like he tends to be when he wants to hide his true feelings. Frank isn’t annoyed by the lack of sincerity in the response; he’s spent enough time with Matt to know the scales tip toward affirming his question. And, to be honest, Frank can’t deny that he feels the same. In fact, the idea of Matt together with that woman has been bothering him for a long time. If not for his work as the Punisher, he might have gone a little mad.

“The Omegadrive…” Frank changes the subject. It’s not worthwhile to ask about Black Cat again when he knows they won’t reach any settled point, even if talking about the Omegadrive won’t get them anywhere either. 

“I’m not giving it to you, Frank.” 

“Like hell, Red! I just wanna make sure you don’t end up dead. They’re not going to let it go so easily…” 

“Nor will I. They won’t get the device and neither will you. I’ll make sure of it.” 

The ex-marine sighs. He returns his full glass to the table with the half-empty bottle of Suntory Yamazaki. He doesn’t feel like drinking, not when his emotions are close to overpowering. 

“Sometimes I forget you’re too stubborn.” 

“You’re one to talk,” Matt scoffs, slightly dizzy as he switches out his glass for the whiskey bottle. Frank wants to stop him but the lawyer slips back into his chair. “I want you to be honest with me, Frank.” 

There is a moment of silence. Frank knows, better than anyone, how unlikely it is that anyone can lie to the famous lawyer of Hell’s Kitchen. So he reins in his response to avoid promising too much. 

“I’ll try.” 

“Why are you here?” 

Frank’s heart maintains a steady beat. 

“For the device.” 

“No, you know what I mean. You knew I wouldn’t give you the Omegadrive. Why did you come back?” 

His heart rate speeds up a little, enough that Matt notices the slight increase. 

“You know why.” 

“Please, Frank,” Matt derides with a slightly hysterical tone. “I haven’t seen you since Coppersmith, over a year ago. How could I know your reasons?” 

Again silence. The city lights hit Matt’s face, revealing the fine wrinkles wrought on his forehead and his lips by constant worry.

The tension grows and stretches like a thread drawn out end-to-end, threatening to snap at the slightest breeze. 

Frank approaches, quite slowly, alert to any negative reaction from the blind man. When he’s before him, he squats down to the height of Matt’s dulled eyes. 

“Nothing’s changed since then.” 

“No…”

Nothing changed, it’s true. His confused feelings for Matt are still here, burning and hurting like licks of flame. However, not only do the feelings remain intact: their lives carry on the same. Daredevil continues sending criminals to prison and the Punisher continues killing them. Their ideologies, their rules, their limits and convictions remain unchanged, like tattoos engraved through to the center of their souls. Many circumstances around them changed, but they continue fighting for what they believe is right. 

Those things, the things that don’t change, keep them separate. 

And even though Frank is aware of these things, he still has the courage to draw near to Matt’s motionless face. His lips part, just a bit, and then he kisses him. 

Later, all of their actions become blurry, as if trapped in a limbo of dreams. He can hear Matt moaning, calling his name, demanding his mouth and begging for his caresses. He feels how his hands wander Matt’s naked body, and how his fingers trace bold scars from past fights. Frank hears himself curse when the heat concentrates in the tip of his member, producing a sublime shudder that drags him to climax. 

“Don’t go, not yet,” Matt murmurs. His skin is still hot despite contact with the cold air. Frank rolls onto his side just to memorize the lawyer’s sleepy features, even when he knows that he’ll end up forgetting them, soon or later. 

“Make sure you don’t die, Red. Or I swear I’ll make your city a hell, just to bring you back.” 

The only answer is a faint whine, lost in less than a second. Matt’s finally asleep, his senses too dormant to catch the movement of Frank rising from the bed. 

A few minutes later, the Punisher has returned to the veins of the city, becoming a vengeful ghost that hopes, at some moment, to report back to the devil.

**Author's Note:**

> [Translator's note]  
> Be sure to leave kudos and comments for the author on the original work: <https://archiveofourown.org/works/22431211>


End file.
